Dish the Dirt

Dawn Allen began as a Saturday girl in her local florist shop, met her husband at Covent Garden Flower Market, and now farms Australian natives from Bob's Garden — fifty acres at Boneo on the Mornington Peninsula, looking out to Bass Strait. In May, she took banksias to the Chelsea Flower Show with her exhibit Banksia Evolution, tracing the banksia from seed pod to full bloom, and came home with a...

Five years ago, Bec sat down with Petrina from Petrina Blooms as Melbourne crawled out of its first COVID lockdown. This episode, she finally makes it back for that promised gin — and finds out everything that's bloomed, died back and come up again since. What started as an accidental side hustle off a single Facebook message has turned into a full business, taking Petrina to teach floral workshop...

Some episodes are time capsules. This is one of them. We're rewinding to late 2020, as Victoria emerged from its first long lockdown — gin raised, friends finally allowed over, the whole state breathing out. In the middle of it sits Petrina from Petrina Blooms: a lifelong flower obsessive who turned a suburban Ivanhoe block into a garden of 8,000+ bulbs and 120 roses, and who had just started sell...

Dish the Dirt — Show Notes The Cotton Bunch with Jamie Rother & Caroline Azria What happens when a third-generation cotton farmer and a Paris-born UX designer meet at Disney World, fall in love, and end up growing flowers on the Darling Downs? You get The Cotton Bunch — and one of the most unexpected stories in Australian flower farming. Jamie Rother and Caroline Azria run The Cotton Bunch acr...

Some people don't just start businesses — they start movements. This week I sit down with Jess, the powerhouse founder of the Flower Summit , the Newcastle Food & Flower Markets and the Newcastle Flower School . We go right back to the beginning: the entrepreneurial kid who landed her first job at thirteen, started her first company at twenty-three with a hundred chair covers sewn in her aunti...

We’re closing out 2025 with a soulful, grounded, and beautifully honest conversation with Brooke Stewart of Meadowbrook Flower Farm . Set between Port Fairy and Warrnambool, Brooke’s six-acre farm is shaped by wind, weather, family, and the deep desire to build something meaningful from home. Brooke shares how flower farming became the anchor she needed during motherhood, a FIFO lifestyle, raising...

Key topics: Diversifying crops and sustaining staff year-round Protected cultivation and the benefits of greenhouses Exporting Australian flowers to Japan and beyond Collaboration, community, and why sharing knowledge matters Adapting to climate change and investing in renewable energy Mentioned: Wildflowers Australia AgriFutures research library East Coast Wildflowers and the growers who inspire...

Guests: Elsa from Hunter Forage & Madeline from Mount Vincent Flower Farm In this episode, Rebecca chats with Elsa and Madeline about how a small group of passionate local growers turned into a thriving community of 30+ members known as the Hunter Flower Collective . We talk about: 🌼 How the collective began — and the joy of growing from five friends to 31 members 🌸 The challenges and creati...

Guest: Caitie O’Grady – Springview Irises, Ebden VIC Host: Rebecca Noble Nestled in the hills of northeast Victoria overlooking Lake Hume, Springview Irises is home to hundreds of bearded iris varieties grown by Caitie O’Grady and her family. In this episode, Caitie shares her journey from planting flowers in her childhood sandpit to running a thriving iris farm known for its colour, character, an...

In this episode of Dish the Dirt , I chat with Belinda from The Flowering Field , based in Burra, New South Wales. Belinda shares: How her passion for gardening during maternity leave blossomed into a flower farm The challenges and opportunities of farming in a cool, frosty climate Why dried flowers became a key part of her business model The importance of community, mentorship, and investing in t...

n this episode of Dish the Dirt , I chat with the inspiring Kathy from Plumtree Floral Farm in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. Kathy’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. After a long career in media and even a stint as Australia’s “shopping queen,” she traded city life for gumboots and flower fields. Since moving to the subtropics, Kathy and her husband have...

n this episode of Dish the Dirt , I sit down with Sarah from Quail Cottage and Ash, wedding florist Film and Foliage and founder of Wildflower Academy , to talk about The Harvest —a collection point that’s transforming the way florists and growers connect in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle region. We dive into how a simple idea—bringing growers together under one roof—has grown into a supportive c...

In this episode of Dish the Dirt , I chat with the vibrant and driven Hannah Urquhart , whose journey into the world of flowers began with a love for agriculture and a deep curiosity about how things grow. After completing her agricultural science studies, Hannah joined Bush Roses in New South Wales, where she now works full-time, surrounded by the beauty and challenges of flower farming. Hannah’s...

In this final episode of the season, host Rebecca Noble chats with Sharon from Pretty Little Flower Farm in Seville, Victoria. Sharon shares how her love of gardening, a lockdown during COVID, and a fascination with dahlias sparked a journey into flower farming — one that’s bloomed into a thriving roadside stall and a meaningful connection with her local community. Growing on just 400 square metre...

In this episode of Dish the Dirt , we sit down with Elissa from @larkspur.flowers , a passionate florist and designer based in Daylessford, Victoria. With a background in permaculture and landscape design, Elissa brings a unique, deeply intentional perspective to her work with flowers — one that’s grounded in sustainability, seasonality, and storytelling. We explore Elissa’s journey into floristry...

🌸 Episode Summary: This episode is a special one — recorded back in 2020, it captures the early days of Florelie Seasonal Flowers , a specialty cut flower farm in Bungaree, just outside of Ballarat, Victoria. Lorelie shares how a bunch of homegrown peonies gifted on her birthday planted the seed for what has since grown into a thriving, full-time flower farm. At the time of recording, Loralee was...

n this episode of Dish the Dirt , we head to Coonamble, NSW , to meet Emily from Petal & Bow Flowers — a passionate grower carving out her own path in Australia’s warm, dry inland. What began as a maternity leave project has bloomed into four hectares of native paper daisies and a farm-based business focused not only on growing beautiful flowers, but also on harvesting and sharing their seeds...

Guest : Sophie, founder of With Love Sophie and Honey Bunch Farm Location : Yark, VIC — a picturesque valley near Mansfield with a short and unpredictable growing season, but loads of heart. What We Cover : Sophie's journey from floristry to flower farming How growing for florists shaped her crop choices The chaos and learnings from her first year (hello, flood + 300 lost dahlias!) Why she’s obses...

🌸 Episode Summary : In this heartfelt and honest episode of Dish the Dirt , we catch up with Janae and Chris from Fleurs de Lyonville —a flower farming couple based just outside of Melbourne. Recorded live at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show as part of our Growers Avenue series , this conversation offers a grounded look into what it really takes to grow a sustainable flower fa...

🌸 Episode Summary : In this episode of Dish the Dirt , we're thrilled to welcome back Mardi from Quite Contrary Flower Farm in Gippsland, Victoria. From lawyer to full-time flower farmer, Mardi’s journey is anything but conventional—and that’s exactly what makes it so inspiring. We dive into what’s changed since she last joined us: refining her business model, narrowing in on specialty crops like...

🌱 Guest: Jodie (aka The Solo Gardener), 5 Acre Farm, Taradale VIC 📍 Recorded at: Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show – Growers Avenue In this episode, we meet Jodie , a self-described Solo Gardener and the driving force behind 5 Acre Farm in Taradale, Victoria. Jodie shares her inspiring journey from corporate life to cultivating a biodiverse dream on Dja Dja Wurrung country—navigat...

🌿 Guest: Joanne, Flower & Seed Farmer | Albury-Wodonga, VIC https://backyardgardenenthusiast.com.au/ 📅 Recorded: Live at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show – Growers Avenue 🎧 Podcast: Dish the Dirt 📍 Location: Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show In this special episode recorded live from the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, host Rebecca Noble...

In this episode of Dish the Dirt , we speak with Olivia from Pemberley of Malmsbury about her third year participating in the Main Central floral installation at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. After winning a Gold Medal and People’s Choice Award in 2023 , and a Bronze Award last year , Olivia returns with even more passion—this time celebrating community, collaboration, and...

Host: Bec Noble | Episode Recorded Live at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show 2025 In this special episode, we meet Anna and Ray from 302 Flower Farm , a passionate husband-and-wife team growing seasonal blooms on their breathtaking property in Victoria’s Western District. From Proteas to Dahlias, tank water challenges to sunset views over the back paddock, Anna and Ray share the...

Recorded live at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show , this quick chat features world-renowned floral artist Sue McLeary (aka Passionflower Sue ). I was lucky enough to grab a few moments with Sue to talk about her artistry, the beauty of floral wearables, and her love of locally grown flowers . It’s short, sweet, and full of floral inspiration. Enjoy! 🌸 🔗 Learn more about Sue:...